Music
by Chase7000
Summary: Matt lives in New York with his friends and has a pretty normal life, until the new girl J.J comes into play and turns his life upside down. R&R please. My first fanfic up here.


Music ****

Music

Chapter one

What an idea

Sixteen year old Matt walked down the New York High School halls with his 'groupies,' as he liked to call them following close behind. The girls all swooning, and the guys trying to copy his every move. He walked past the English room, where a lesson had just finished and waited for one of his closest friends, Sora Lewis. He told all his followers to take a break and meet him in math at two that afternoon. They all did as they were told, and left. Matt was a really talented musician, even though he hated to admit it, he could play a range of instruments, from the harmonica to the bass guitar, which he played in a band he and his friends made, in which he was the lead vocalist. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, which made him a sort of perfect boyfriend to all girls- looks wise- his main problem; he had a bad attitude.

The door opened and a lot of people came out. Sora was still in the room with someone. Sora was sixteen and not as musical as Matt, but she was good at art, Sora had light brown hair and reddish-brown eyes, she had her portfolio with her and was leaning on a desk.

"Sora, are you coming?" Matt asked impatiently.

"Yeah, hang on Matt!" Sora replied sharply. "I want you to meet a new girl." She motioned for Matt to come in. He sighed and walked in.

"What?!" He snapped.

"So this is Matt Tribal. Nothing like I imagined." A female voice said.

"Yeah, and what did you imagine me to look like?" Matt asked sarcastically looking up and meeting the brown eyes of who had just spoken to him.

"Matt, this is the new girl. J.J." Sora said.

"Nice to meet you." J.J smiled as Matt looked her over. She had brown hair and brown eyes and looked about his age She was dressed in school uniform, like everyone else was. But her skirt was shorter than Sora's, and she'd tied the jumper round her waist and made the white shirt into a half top, by undoing it a bit and tying it in a knot above her belly button, which was pierced with a pink stone in the silver bar-bell.

"Yeah, feelings mutual." Matt said trying to keep his cool.

"Whatever." J.J laughed. "Hey Sora, I'll see you Mimi and Kari in the gym at about 1:20. OK."

"Sure." Sora said walking past Matt.

"Wait a second!" Matt said and grabbed J.J's shoulder.

"Yeah?" 

"Sora you know perfectly well I have a practice with the band today! You can't practice in the gym." Matt told them.

"Yeah. And who says?" Sora asked.

"Well...me." Matt stammered.

"And do you have any authority to stop us?" J.J asked.

"No." Matt replied.

"Well, there you go. You don't own the gym, we have to practice and, you and your precious 'band' can practice elsewhere. OK?" J.J said and walked off with Sora giggling.

"I hate her." Matt muttered and walked out the room.

At one twenty Sora and J.J were waiting in the gym for Mimi Phillippe and Kari Hunt they were due for dance practice, and were a bit late. 

"Hi! Sorry we're late!" A high feminine voice called. It was Mimi. Mimi was fifteen, and had moved to Washington about three years ago, she came over to her hometown some times, and when she did, they all had a blast. Mimi originally had chestnut coloured hair, but had dyed it pink, due to her obsession with the colour. She had the same colour eyes as Sora, and the same figure. She wasn't as good at art as Sora was, but she had on of the best singing voices, and almost always got the lead role in all musicals the school put on.

"Yeah. Davis wouldn't stop questioning me." Kari laughed putting her bag on the floor. Kari was thirteen, and one of J.J's best friends, even though they lived really far away from each other. Kari had really dark brown hair, almost black and brown eyes, same as J.J. Kari had a really cute brother, called Tai. He was in the same class as Sora and J.J who always mingled with him.

"You gotta put that boy down girl, you gotta put him down!" J.J smiled, "You guys ready?" Sora asked and got nods from everyone. "Great, let's get on with it then?"

Kari ran over to the CD player Mimi had plugged in and switched on the 'Dance 2000' disc Sora had given her. Mimi, Sora, J.J and Kari were a dance group, which they did the choreography to songs they chose and performed them in front of people for a laugh. The first song on the CD was Solid, 'Elements.' which was at the top of the charts at that time. Other than doing the dances, J.J and Mimi did some lead singing and Sora and Kari did backing, as they were to shy to let complete strangers hear their voices. They all had black headsets on and were on the stage, their backs facing the open space where the audience would've usually been. The introduction to the song started and J.J was the first to turn round, then Mimi, and Sora and Kari were next. Mimi started singing and J.J joined in, while doing the complicated dance routine they'd worked out.

Outside the gym, the music drifted down the halls and the students ran to the gym and watched them through the doors. J.J saw them and called them in. Students filled the room, dancing, chatting and some just watching and listening. Matt and his band weren't that interested, they were practicing in the music room, where the music happened not to get through very loudly. Ben, one of the band members, the drummer, had his head outside the door and was watching them dancing around.

"You guys! You gotta see this. It's fantastic!" Ben exclaimed. The other band members, the second and third guitarists, Joe and Lee ran over and looked out the door.

"Will you guys stop gawking at the pretty girls dancing and get on with the music!" Matt snapped.

"Aw! Come on Matt! You gotta see this!" Joe said.

"Yeah! Even you'd like it!" Lee laughed. 

"Fine." Matt sighed getting up and walking out the music room to the main area of the gym and watching the girls dancing and singing. Matt looked at all of them, with his arms crossed but kept looking at J.J. _How much energy does that girl have? _Matt thought to himself and smiled leaning on the cage bars. _She is kind of cute, when you look at her closely. _He thought and noticed them all coming off the stage and running around the crowd, all of them grabbing guys they liked to look of. Sora grabbed Tai, and pulled him up on stage. Mimi grabbed Joe, who at first refused to go on stage, until Mimi tickled him. Kari took the arm of an exchange student, Willis who went up with her quite happily. J.J on the other hand was a bit more picky, teasing all the guys she went near, Matt looked at her and noticed she was making her way over to him. _She can't really be thinking of getting me up there...can she?_ He thought to himself and noticed she was coming closer. _Oh God! She is!_ He sighed silently when she stopped by him and grabbed his hand. He didn't refuse to go up on stage with her, but he tried to hide the fact he was blushing furiously.

Up on the stage Sora signalled for the music to be turned off, which it was, by Mimi's friend, Emily. They all grabbed their normal microphones and turned them on.

"So how you guys doing?" J.J said out into the crowd who yelled back something which was inaudible to her. 

"That's great! Now, as you can see, we've got some lovely guys on the stage to dance with us. But first of all, we need to know their names!" Mimi giggled leaning on Joe.

"That's so right Mimi! Now, who are you?" Sora asked Tai.

"Ah...Tai." Tai answered scratching his head.

"And you?" Mimi asked.

"Joe!" Joe yelled into the microphone.

"Whoa! Looks like we got a feisty guy up today. Who's that cutie Kari?" Mimi asked Kari.

"Well Mimi, I don't know. So who are you?" Kari asked giving the microphone to Willis.

"I'm Willis. Just transferred from Canada!" Willis smiled getting a scream from a lot of girls in the crowd.

"And you are?" J.J asked Matt.

"Do I really have to answer that?" Matt said suavely crossing his arms.

"I guess not. But it's be nice to know what your name is." J.J laughed.

"Girls." Matt said to the crowd, suddenly the whole cheerleading squad jumped up and spelled out his name, squealing afterwards.

"Looks like we got ourselves a lounge lizard up here, girls." J.J said walking across the stage and getting sour looks and evil eyes from girls in the crowd.

"Hey J.J, how about we put the blonde bimbo up to the test." Mimi laughed.

"Huh! Mimi. You don't mean, the unspeakably hard test?" Sora gasped.

"You don't mean the one, which could make you lose all your popularity status, if you get it wrong?" Kari gasped.

"That's the exact one I mean." Mimi laughed. "What d'you say J.J? Think he'd be up to it?" 

"I don't know. It's not really up to me now, is it?" J.J asked.

"Now hold it. What's all this about some test?" Matt asked. Suddenly five-minute warning bell went and J.J smiled. 

"Sorry Sunshine. I'll have to tell you another day." She smirked and looked back to the crowd. "See ya'll soon y'know!" She said and waved like Mimi, Sora and Kari. The gym emptied quickly and Kari soon went down to her lessons. While Mimi, Sora and J.J tidied up, Matt, Lee, Joe and Ben had a free period, like them and stayed a while.

The guys were all talking about them. They'd been needing new back up singers and someone to help with dance routines, and it seemed they come across the perfect people. Matt walked over, while Mimi shared a joke with Sora and J.J.

"Hi girls." Matt said.

"What d'you want?" J.J asked coldly.

"Well, I wanted to ask you something." Matt answered. "But if you don't want to hear it...then I can always ask someone else." Matt turned his back but was stopped by J.J's voice.

"Hang on. I s'pose we could hear you out. What is it you want?" She asked.

"Well we've been looking for some backing singers and someone to organise dances for our songs and stuff, and were wondering if you guys could help us out?" Matt asked.

"Well...it's a good idea, and I'm cool with it." Sora said. 

"Sounds good to me too." Mimi said.

"And me!" Kari voice was suddenly heard.

"Huh? Kari what are you doing?" Sora asked surprised to see her.

"No lessons this afternoon, all the teachers have this huge staff meeting. But your proposition Matt. I like it. What about you J.J?" Kari answered. J.J thought for a few minutes, weighing up the pros and cons of the situation, and finally came up with an answer.

"OK. After careful consideration, I have finally come up with an answer to the situation." J.J said and cracked up into laughter. "I spend way too much time with Emily." She giggled.

"J.J, your answer?" Matt hurried her on.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I think we can do that, it's not to bad, besides, we could do with the publicity." J.J answered. The bell went for maths, and Sora, Mimi and Kari left. Matt's band had already gone to their lessons and that just left J.J and Matt there, standing opposite each other, with nothing to say. J.J coughed uneasily and picked up the high-fi system and walked towards the door.

"Oh, and Matt." She said. Matt looked up at her. "Don't you ever upstage me like that again, or I'll make your life a living hell." She threatened and left.

"I hope that's a promise, J.J." Matt said to himself and walked through the doors after her.

****

Chapter Two

Angels Wings

A few months after J.J's group and Matt's group had agreed to work with each other, they started spending more time with each other, picking gigs to do and staying after school a lot more to practice. Matt got used to J.J making fun of him and cracking jokes at every possible interval. And J.J got used to Matt being a little to serious and his attitude flaring up when ever he didn't get his own way, or they all weren't concentrating. 

It was one day at a favourite hang out, they all decided on dance partners and who should get a little more practice in with their dancing and singing on this new song Matt had written

"Well, me and Joe have decided to be dance partners. He's the only one who can do the more difficult steps, as good as me!" Mimi giggled slurping the last of her strawberry milkshake through her pink straw.

"Being just a little modest, aren't you Mimi?" Kari asked.

"No." Mimi smiled.

"Whatever. Kari, what about you?" J.J sighed.

"Huh? Oh, me and Lee are working together 'cause of the height thing and everything." Kari said.

"Yeah, plus, Kari says I'm a really good dancer!" Lee laughed.

"I'm going with Sora, she says I'm the most compatible." Ben told everyone.

"Which is true!" Sora said quickly.

"Yeah right!" J.J laughed. "Oh well, looks like it's just you and me now buddy-boy!" 

"Great" Matt sighed.

"Gee, don't sound to enthusiastic." J.J said looking at her watch. "Crap! I gotta go! See y'all later, K. I gotta get home." J.J said grabbing her bag as she got up.

"Bye." Everyone said in their own way as she left.

When J.J got home, she walked into the lounge in her apartment block and saw her step-dad, mom and two brothers sitting round the coffee table.

"Family meeting?" She asked instinctively. Her big brother, Luke looked at her and nodded.

"You guessed it little sis." He said as everyone else looked at her.

"Screw this." J.J said throwing her bag down and walking toward her bedroom door.

"Jade Chastity Hush, get yourself back in here this instant!" Her step-dad, Adrian's voice boomed. 

__

The whole name! I hate it when he says my whole name! It only means one thing, I'm in trouble! J.J thought as she walked back in.

"Hah! J.J had to have her whole name said. You must be in deep shit!" Her younger brother, Miller laughed.

"No Miller, see if I was in deep shit, I'd have a pile of shit around me, but I don't. And if you say something like that again, you will not live to see you fourteenth birthday. OK!" J.J snapped sitting down.

"Mom!" Miller whined.

"Jade, apologise to your brother, right now!" Her mom said firmly.

"No! Now can we get on with this, I gotta get my homework done and then I've got dance practice." J.J snapped again.

"Jade, your mother and I are very worried about your grades. They're falling rapidly, and we're thinking of ordering you an out of school tutor." Adrian explained.

"You're joking...right?" J.J laughed lightly. Both her mom and Adrian's faces said they weren't. "You're not...are you? No way! I am not having a tutor! Do you have any idea what'll happen to me in school? I'll be a laughing stock! No way! Sorry, get one for Miller!" J.J said quickly.

"Shut up Jay!" Miller snapped at her.

"What d'you mean, get one for Miller?" Her mom asked.

"Oh, you mean, Miller didn't tell you. He got five 'F's on his report card this semester, and he got a geek friend of his at school to change them by holding a knife to his throat." J.J said, glaring at Miller.

"Miller, is this true?" Adrian asked, looking at Miller.

"I-I...I only did it so you wouldn't be mad! I wanted you to be proud of me, like you are of Luke." Miller said stammering.

"I see." Adrian said, putting on his 'I think it's time for a talk' face. "Jade, Luke, you can go, Miller you stay here. I think you and I need to talk." He said. Luke and J.J exchanged glances and got up.

"Nice knowin' ya Miller." J.J said as she left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Out side, Luke was standing there, leaning on the wall, looking at her with his icy blue eyes.

"Don't gimme that look Luke. It doesn't work any more. I'm not a baby." J.J sighed, walking past. 

"How'd you know about that Jay?" Luke asked.

"I have my ways." J.J smiled. "Oh, if there's a call for me, from a guy called Matt, tell him I'll call him back." J.J said opening the door to her room.

"Who's Matt?" Luke asked.

"A friend." J.J replied.

"A boyfriend?"

"Does it matter if he is?" 

"I just don't want my little sister getting involved with a loser or a sleaze-bag, or someone who'll take advantage of her." Luke said walking over to her.

"You mean like you." J.J laughed.

"I didn't say that!" Luke laughed grabbing her in a head-lock and giving her a nookie. 

A hour and a half later, at Matt's house, he was in his front room, singing softly to himself, whilst playing his guitar on a stool. His mom and dad were out, and his little brother David was asleep on the sofa, or so he thought. David had his hat over his face, so you could couldn't tell his eyes were open, and he was wide awake listening to Matt. 

The song he was singing, wasn't one of the bands songs, because they sung rock music, this was a love song, a slow song, like one saved for a last dance song. David listened quietly to the words and tried to think if he knew it.

"Since you arrived on angels wings,

An angelical formation,

Angels wings,

Like letters in the sky,

Now I know,

No matter what the question,

That love is the answer,

It's written on angels wings." Matt sang quietly.

"Nice song." TK said, finally speaking up. He surprised Matt so much that he almost fell off his stool.

"How long've you been awake?" Matt asked.

"Since you started singing. So, who're you in love with this time?" TK asked as Matt started putting his guitar away.

"What are you talkin' about? I'm not in love with anyone, I just felt like singing a love song instead of a rock song for once." Matt said in defence.

"OK, let's try this again. Who's song is it?" TK asked.

"It's a Naytree song." Matt said quietly.

"Who?" TK asked.

"A NAYTREE SONG!" Matt yelled.

"Naytree? Hah! You're really in love with someone this time aren't you?" TK laughed.

"I'm not in love with her!" Matt snapped and stormed off to his room.

"Well, I know it's a girl at least." TK said to himself and switched on the TV.

In his room, Matt was lying on his bed, looking through his photo album where he put all the pictures of the group. There were some pages from when they'd been at a gig and performed together. There was one of Matt and J.J standing next to each other, Matt had his arm around J.J's waist and J.J had her arm around his shoulders. There was another one, when Lee had charged into the girls dressing room, and taken as many pictures of them as possible as a joke, he'd caught J.J doing her make-up, not as embarrassing as for Mimi, as she'd been getting undressed.

One of Matt's favourites, was when he and J.J had been looking in a mirror and Matt had taken the picture of their reflection, in this picture J.J was doing a really stupid face. And there was one other picture which Matt liked, that was of J.J by herself in her outfit-which was black with gold chains over the top, gold thread on the rim of the trousers-, just about to go on, looking extremely calm look on her face, and smiling at the camera, for once. He put the photo album down and put his hands behind his head. 

"I could be in love with her, it's very unlikely though. And even if I was, she wouldn't be in love with me, she doesn't like me that much. So, everything's fine. I'm not interested in her, at all. We're just friends." Matt told himself putting his photo album on the floor. The phone suddenly rang, surprising Matt. He picked it up, regardless, and cleared his throat.

"Hello?" Matt said down the recover.

"Matt. Have you seen J.J lately? She didn't show up for dance practice today. And to miss dance practice is really odd for her, I was just wondering if you'd heard anything." Sora said on the other end.

"No, sorry. I haven't. If I hear anything, I'll call you. OK. See ya on Monday Sora." Matt replied and hung up. "Maybe I better call her, just to be sure." He said to himself dialling J.J's number.

****

Chapter Three

Beware Of The Voices

"H-hello?" The voice on the voice on the other end of the phone said.

"Hi. J.J, I'm just calling to make sure you're OK. You weren't at practice today and we were getting a bit worried." Matt told her.

"Oh. W-well, I'm fine...I wasn't feeling to well, so I didn't come today." J.J replied her voice sounding shaky.

"Are you sure. You don't sound fine. Do you want me to come over?" Matt asked.

"N-no! Don't worry! I'm fine. See ya on Monday Matt." J.J said and hung up.

"What aren't you telling me..." Matt said quietly, replacing the hand-set. He sat up on his bed and grabbed his jacket from off his chair. He walked out his bedroom door, toward the front on, flinging his jacket on in double quick time.

"Where ya goin'?" TK asked, spotting his brother.

"Out. I got my cell phone with me, so you can call me if you need to. See ya later!" Matt called walking out the door.

He quickly got to J.J's apartment building and he got the elevator to her apartment. When he got there, he could hear screaming and yelling from inside.

"Where's your mother!?" A male voice yelled, J.J's step-dad.

"She's gone out shopping, w-w-with Miller. L-l-luke went out with his f-f-friends earlier. Now...go and sit down you've had to much to drink!" J.J's voice stammered.

"I'll tell you when I've had enough to drink! Now go and get me a brandy!" He yelled.

"NO! YOU'RE DRUNK! GO TO BED!" J.J screamed.

"Come here you spiteful little bitch!" Her step-dad yelled. J.J screamed, there was a thump, and it suddenly went deathly quiet.

"J.J!" Matt yelled, ramming his shoulder against the door. 

Luke started coming round the corner and ran up to Matt when he spotted him.

"What d'ya think your doin' ya little thug!" Luke yelled, grabbing Matt's collar and shoving him up against a wall.

"There's a girl and some guy in there! I heard them yelling and it suddenly went really quiet!" Matt yelled back.

"Oh no!" Luke said fumbling to get his keys from his jacket. He unlocked the door only to find the chain was on. "Listen kid. On three, run and ram the door, OK." Luke told Matt.

"Right." Matt replied as they backed towards away from the wall. "Ready...three!" He said as they rammed the door. The chain came off and they both fell in the hallway.

"Who's there!?" Adrian said, coming towards them.

"I'll hold Adrian back, you see if you can find Jay." Luke said, struggling to hold his step-dad's arms behind his back. Matt did as he was told and ran down the hall to the main room. It was a mess, cushions and throws strewn everywhere, the three lamps all knocked over and broken, the stereo on the floor, and the curtains ripped. But no J.J. Matt then ran into the kitchen. It was much the same, dishes smashed everywhere, curtains ripped and J.J unconscious on the floor. 

Matt ran over and kneeled down next to her looking her over briefly. She had a cut above her left eye, which was bleeding and blood was running down her face from it. A cut on her lip, and a black eye. Her right arm looked like it was broken and her chest was rising unevenly, symbolising a few broken ribs. Matt heard footsteps behind him and looked round to see Luke standing there, staring at J.J. 

"Oh no. Not again." Luke said quietly grabbing the phone.

"What d'ya mean, not again! This has happened before?!" Matt asked harshly.

"Shh!" Luke said as he started talking on the phone. "I need an ambulance to the Kestrel Court apartment building, apartment 23, the third floor... yeah, my little sister, it looks likes she got a broken arm and broken ribs, she's been beaten up pretty badly....she's unconscious, but she's still breathing....could you also send a police car round? It was my step-dad. I want him picked up please...this is her brother...Luke Hush....I'll be here...bye." Luke said and hung up. He turned his attention to Matt, who was mopping up the blood running down her face. He kneeled down and gave him a look.

"Matt right?" Luke asked.

"Yeah. Your Luke. I heard you tell the person on the phone. I didn't know you were Jay's brother." Matt said.

"I didn't know you knew Jay. But yes, this has happened before. My step-dad gets drunk a lot, and cause J.J doesn't like going out, she stays home. This has happened about twice before. This is the worst it's ever been. I've threatened to call the police before, but mom always said not to. But I said I'd do it the next time, so I have." Luke said.

"Oh, my God...what's happened?" A female voice said behind them. The looked round and saw Luke's mom and Miller.

"Adrian beat her up again." Luke said. "Luckily Matt was here and came to help."

"Thank you Mr...." Mrs. Hush said.

"Matt...please. Don't worry about it, Jay's one of my best friends, when I heard yelling, I kinda acted on instinct." Matt said.

"Luke, did you call the police this time?" Miller asked. Luke nodded and looked up at his mom.

"Sorry mom. But, he's gone to far this time, look at her." Luke said.

"I know...I guess it's the safest thing to do." Mrs. Hush said.

About ten minutes later, an ambulance arrived, with a police car. The police men took Adrian into custody, along with Luke, so they could keep him under control. J.J was taken to hospital along with Matt, Miller and Mrs. Hush. J.J had woken up, but only briefly, she was in a lot of pain, and kept blacking out, but the good thing was she was alive.

J.J was taken into intensive care as soon as she got there, Mrs. Hush was taken by the doctor, to give J.J's details. Matt and Miller stayed with J.J while she went under anaesthetic, so the nurse could X-ray the rib cage and arm to see if the doctors needed to operate. It turned out she had three broken ribs, two on the left and one on the right, and her arm had a clean break. They took J.J in for operating, and Matt went home after being told by Mrs. Hush she'd call and tell him how everything had gone, and when he could see her.

The next day, it was Saturday, Matt woke up to the shrill ringing of the phone. His hand crawled out from under the duvet and pick up the hand-set.

"Hell-o?" Matt said sleepily.

"Hi Matt. It's Jade's mother, she's awake, you can see today at twelve to three today if you like." Mrs. Hush said on the other end.

"I might just do that! Thanks for ringing." Matt replied and put the phone down, he looked at his digital clock. The luminous numbers said it was ten in the morning. "This is way to early for me!" Matt sighed lying back down, five minutes later, he got up.

He got to the hospital at twelve-thirty. There were a lot of people walking around, Matt scanned the area, and spotted Luke, by the reception.

"Luke! Hi!" Matt yelled walking up.

"Oh, hey Matt. What are you doing here?" Luke asked looking at him.

"You're mom invited me down, what's happening with your step-dad?" Matt asked.

"Adrian? Oh, he's got seventeen thousand dollar fine and he's not allowed within four hundred feet of Jay. So he's moving out and going to live in California." Luke said as they started to walk to J.J's room.

"Well, that's better than nothing." Matt said, following.

"Maybe. I don't think it is though, he should at least go in the slammer for a couple of months for child abuse. She could've died if you hadn't been around." Luke replied as they reached J.J's room. "She owes her life to you, man. Make sure you get a thank you." He opened the door and let Matt in, shutting the door behind him and waiting outside.

"Hi Jay." Matt said as he walked in. J.J looked over at him and smiled.

"Hey! It's nice to see a friendly face." She said quietly.

"What are friends for huh?" Matt said sitting down. "How come you never told me your name was Jade?" He chuckled. J.J laughed lightly and groaned as she tried to sit up. 

"Don't make me laugh, it hurts." She said giving up to sit up.

"Sorry." Matt said looking at the floor.

"Don't stop trying to make me laugh though!" J.J smiled and sighed.

"You OK?" Matt asked looking at her.

"Oh man! If I had a dollar for every time someone's asked me that...I'd have....twenty three dollars!" J.J said and leaned back on the pillows that were propping her up. "Matt?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks....for coming over, even when I said not to....if you hadn't, I'd probably be a lot worse off than I already am. I just wanted to say thanks. You're a real friend." J.J said giving Matt a sincere look.

"Hey! It's not a problem. We're friends right." Matt smiled.

"Yeah! Beware of the voices!" J.J smiled hugging Matt.

"Yeah, whatever." Matt whispered returning the hug.

****

Chapter Four

Friends

Over the next few weeks, Matt kept visiting J.J to make sure she was OK. Sora, Tai, Mimi, Kari and TK came a lot too. J.J soon got a lot better and was allowed to go home. J.J though still nervous about Adrian coming back, but both Luke and Matt used to reassure her that he was long gone and he'd never hurt her again.

****

Chapter Five

I'm Back For More

A couple of weeks later, when J.J was back at school, she was walking down the hall to her next lesson, which was English. Her ribs had healed up, and she was just waiting to have her cast off her arm. She went past the notice board and scanned it over, checking to see if there were any messages for her. There was. Just one, written on cream coloured letter writing paper, must've been fancy and expensive. She picked it up and shoved it in her coat pocket to read later.

She totally forget about the letter, until she got home. When she was taking her coat off, it fell out.

"Oh dammit! I hope that wasn't important." J.J said bending down to pick it up. She said on her bed and opened it, a photo fell out as well. What she read, made her become very frightened.

'Guess who?! I'm back Jade, and this time, I'm back for good.' Was what it said. It wasn't signed by anyone, but the writing was all in block capitals, and J.J found it familiar. "Adrian." J.J whispered, dropping the letter. The front door suddenly opened and footsteps came in the apartment. J.J could feel herself shaking. She looked round her room, to see if there was anything in there that she could use to beat Adrian's head in with, just in case. Nothing there and the footsteps were coming towards her door. The door handle squeaked and the door began to open.

Oh my God! I'm gonna die. J.J thought shutting her eyes.

"Hey Jay. You OK?" A voice said. It belonged to Luke. J.J sighed and opened her eyes looking at her brother. She got up and ran over to give him a hug and burst into tears. "Jay! What's wrong! What's happened? Have you had a bad day a school?" Luke asked.

"No! It was this note! I don't think Adrian's going to leave me alone!" J.J said turning to grab the note from off the floor and showing it to Luke.

"Jay! Are you sure this is from Adrian?" Luke asked.

"Are you saying I'm a liar! Luke this is from him! I just know it! And look what came with it." J.J snapped picking the picture up and showing it to Luke. The picture had all of J.J's family in it with J.J crossed out and 'I'm just waiting.' written on the back. "See I'm not lying!" J.J said, a fresh burst of tears flowing down her face.

"Oh, Jay!" Luke said giving her a hug. "Don't you worry little sis! I'm not gonna let Adrian lay another hand on you, don't you worry!" Luke said tenderly. "I'll tell you what, you get changed, I'll phone Matt and tell him to meet us down the police station. OK?" 

"OK." J.J said quietly as Luke left.

A little later, J.J was down the police station, being questioned about the letter and the past events with Adrian.

"So, tell us again, what has your step-father done to you before?" One policeman asked.

"He...erm...well...he's beaten me up about three times, three months ago was the worst time though. I had cuts and bruises everywhere, three broken ribs and he broke my arm too. He was charged a seventeen thousand dollar fine and was told he could come within four hundred feet of me. But he's not obeying the charge." J.J said.

"Right. And you know this...how?" The second policeman asked sitting down.

"Er...this note and picture I got today at school." J.J said handing the note and picture to him. The policemen looked them over, looking at J.J and each other every now and again.

"Right, Miss. Hush. It is a very serious offence to disobey a court sentence. And as your step-father has done so, we will take him in for questioning about these two threats, and rest assured Miss. Hush. He won't be coming anywhere near you when we're through with him. That's for sure." The first policeman said leading J.J toward the main room where Matt and Luke were waiting.

"Thank you." J.J said quietly and Luke put a protective arm around her shoulders.The policemen left and J.J scowled. "For nothing." She muttered turning to leave with Matt and Luke. 

They got to Luke's car, when Luke remembered he had to pick something up from the printers round the corner and that J.J and Matt should stay in the car, for safety. J.J agreed and sat in the back seat with Matt. 

"How you coping?" Matt asked when she was settled.

"OK. I just get scared sometimes, you know...scared of finding that he's gone after someone I really care about." J.J replied, resting her head on Matt's shoulder.

"Listen to me Jay. He's not gonna hurt you. Not with me around. You can count on me Jay. I'm not gonna leave you." Matt said.

"You promise?" J.J asked quietly.

"I promise." Matt replied cuddling her and kissing her hair.

"Matt?" 

"Yeah."

"You're one of my best friends, you know that, right?" J.J asked.

"I know. You don't have to tell me." Matt replied and smiled to himself.

__

Friends? That's all we are...friends? I should be thankful for that. But until she feels safe, I'm not gonna leave her. Matt thought and sighed.

__

He knows I care about him....doesn't he? Oh, I hope he does! I'd be lost with out him. Just promise he'll never leave me. And if Adrian lays a hand on him, I'll never forgive myself. J.J thought, shutting her eyes for a moment. Next thing Matt knew, she was asleep on his shoulder, breathing gently. Luke came back and drove them to Matt's house where he said they could stay and watch a movie or something because it was coming up to six o'clock and J.J was complaining of being bored.

Matt went in the kitchen with Luke to get some snacks ready, while J.J chose the movie. She didn't really fancy any of the movies Matt had as they were all pretty gory and bloody, but she chose the one she thought had the least blood, 'Death Before Dawn.' She got up and went to slot it in the VCR. When she did, the video wouldn't go in. She looked inside and saw a note. Her heart skipped a beat. _Please don't be from Adrian. _She thought reaching for it. It was written on the same paper as the one she'd had earlier that day, and the writing was the same. She opened it up and read it.

'So, you thought that going to the police would help...did you? Sorry Jade, that's not going to work. I'm watching your every move. You better be on the look out because before long I'll attack and you won't know what hit you. 'Til then.

Sweet dreams.' The note said. J.J felt herself quivering, and the note fell like a feather from her hand. She looked out the window and blue lightning flashed outside and could've sworn she saw the outline of someone's face near the window. The something hit her. _How did the note get here? Could it be...he found the way into Matt's house. No! T-that means...Matt isn't safe either...he's playing a mind trick...I've got to tell Luke and Matt, neither of them are safe. _She thought, and picked the note up again, she ran her fingers over it and noticed something very strange about it...it wasn't as rough as the first one, it was smoother, like on the back of a picture. Then she noticed and faint picture had been imprinted on it, it was the same one as earlier, and J.J's head was missing. She started whimpering and backed away from the VCR. She bumped into something or someone and screamed, knocking whatever or whoever it was over.

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU SCUMBAG!" She screamed, a phrase Matt had taught her to say when ever she was attacked to get attention.

"Whoa! Jay, what's wrong!?" Matt asked running up to her and noticing the fact she was quivering.

"Matt!" J.J said as tears started going down her face. She flung her arms around him and started sobbing hard.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Luke asked, picking himself up from off the floor. Matt saw the note by J.J's feet and picked it up reading it, he handed it to Luke. 

"Jay, where did you get this letter?" Matt asked.

"Fr-from your VCR. I-I took i-it o-out w-when I c-couldn't put the v-video in." J.J replied, trying to calm herself down.

"That means he's been here. Matt, I think it's best if you come and stay at our house, just for a while, until this whole thing blows over. You two are not to be left alone, in case he does attack. Come on, we better get home." Luke said standing up. J.J and Matt nodded and got up themselves. Because she was still quivering, J.J could hardly walk so Matt, scooped her up in his arms with ease and took her down stairs.

When they got to J.J's house, it was near enough to eight, she still hadn't stopped quivering and was obviously scared about being left alone. Matt was really getting worried, he'd never seen her like this. He could tell Luke was worried too, it showed in his face, but Luke was being brave and trying not to show it. They walked into J.J's flat. Miller and Mrs. Hush were out...again, so it was pretty quiet. Matt carried her into the main room and set her down on the sofa, to try and stop her quivering.

"Luke...where am I supposed to sleep?" Matt asked after an awkward silence.

"Come to think of it...I don't know." Luke chuckled.

"He c-could s-sleep in m-my room." J.J said sitting up.

"What?!" Matt and Luke said at the same time, looking at her.

"Well. H-he could. I-I've got t-that extra m-mattress. A-and I-I'd feel a lot safer i-if there was someone s-sleeping with me." J.J said and realised what it sounded like. "In the same room as me!" She said trying to cover the fact she was blushing. She looked over to Matt who was smiling, she smiled back and looked at Luke.

"W-well....if that's what you want, but it's really up to Matt, isn't it." Luke said turning his attention to Matt.

"I guess. I'm happy to sleep in J.J's room, if that's OK with her." Matt said.

"Yep! T-that's fine with me!" J.J said quickly.

"Ah...OK. Matt, if you go with J.J, she'll show you where to put your stuff, then I'll order pizza, OK." Luke said watching J.J drag Matt to her room. 

****

Chapter Six

The Truth Comes Out

Two weeks later, Matt was still staying over at J.J's, and enjoying every minute of it. He liked staying at J.J's, it was almost like they were living together...as a couple. They got into arguments sometimes and always made up. They cooked for each other, and talked to each other, they watched TV together, like a real couple. Mimi had even threatened to start a rumour round school saying they were getting married if J.J didn't tell her everything that went on while he was staying at her house. 

Adrian hadn't contacted them again, and the whole band had a really important gig coming up two days later, so J.J was putting everything to do with Adrian behind her.

"Sora! You did that step wrong again!" J.J sighed, snapping at Sora about a simple step for what seemed like the seventeenth time.

"Sorry! It's not that easy!" Sora replied falling to her knees.

"Ah, OK, everyone, have a fifteen minute break. I gotta talk to Matt about something." J.J said spotting Matt calling her from the music cell. Everyone slumped down on the stage as J.J ran into the music room.

Matt shut the door behind her as J.J sat down on a table, looking at him. Matt was now looked really frustrated. J.J knew what was coming.

"Jay, you know what I said about Adrian leaving us alone." Matt said.

"Yeah?"

"Well...look what I just got." He said handing a piece of paper to her. The same type as the notes from Adrian before and the same writing, just in red pen.

'I'm closer than you think...you and your little friends aren't as safe as you thought. You know you always used to tell me about how Trap-Door Spiders used to wait for their prey and corner them. That's just what I'm doing, I'm waiting to strike Jade. Just you wait...I'm closer than you think.' This note said. J.J looked at Matt, her eyes were wide, almost like her eyes would come out of their sockets.

"Should we tell everyone else?" Matt asked.

"No! We can't! It would only panic them!" J.J replied pacing round the room.

"Well, what d'you suggest we do?" Matt said, trying to hide the fact he was scared for his life.

"We'll have to tell Luke. He's in this as well. Adrian wouldn't come after everyone else...would he?" J.J asked sitting down.

"I don't know. You know him better than I do...but...he may do something where there are a lot of people...when are there gonna be a lot of people around." Matt said starting to think. J.J looked at him and slapped him over the head.

"We're performing in front of a lot of people in two days! That's when he's gonna strike! We're gonna have to get extra security, anything we can get our hands on. The National Guard if need be! But we can't make anyone else panic!" J.J said giving Matt a level stare.

"J.J?"

"Yeah?"

"You're panicking." Matt pointed out.

"I'm not! You are!" J.J snapped slumping on a chair and resting her head in her hands. "I'm sixteen and I've got a stalker, how could my life get any better." She said sarcastically.

"Well, you don't have a boyfriend...do you, so life can get better in that way." Matt said walking over slowly.

"A boyfriend? Yeah! The way things are going right now, I don't think anyone would want to go near me." J.J replied looking and trying to hide the fact tears were welling up in her eyes.

"You've always got me to talk to Jay. I'm always here, if you need a shoulder to cry on. You don't have to feel lonely with me around." Matt said standing in front of her and putting his hands on her shoulders.

"I-I'm scared Matt." J.J said putting her arms around him and hugging him. "I'm scared he's going to come after you...and I'm never gonna see you again. If he did something to you...I-I'd never forgive myself." She said quietly.

"Hey, it's OK. I'm still here, and Adrian's never gonna get his hands on me, or you, not while I'm around." Matt replied stroking her hair. "We made a promise, didn't we?"

"Yeah..." J.J said, noticing Mimi, Kari and Sora looking at them through the door. "Uh-oh."

"What?"

"We've got company." J.J said letting go.

Mimi, Sora and Kari walked in. They were smiling happily. J.J knew that they hadn't heard what Matt and she had been saying, so they wouldn't be worrying.

"What were you two up to?" Mimi asked.

"Nothing!" Matt and J.J said at the same time.

"I'll see ya later J.J, outside school." Matt said and walked away.

"OK." J.J replied as he left. She looked at Mimi, Sora and Kari, and felt herself go bright red.

"So...what's were you doing?" Sora asked, leaning on a chair.

"Nothing! I was just...er...we were rehearsing for drama." J.J said trying to think up an excuse.

"Oh yeah, what drama is this?" Kari asked.

"It's outside school. We have to play the leads." J.J replied.

"Yeah...what's the play?" Mimi asked.

"The play?! Err...Romeo and Juliet...yeah, that's it...Romeo and Juliet." J.J said thinking a play up to cover.

"Really. Well, I can't wait to see it, when is it gonna be finished?" Kari asked.

"I don't know!" J.J snapped. "What is this, the Spanish Inquisition?" 

"OK. We only asked!" Sora said.

"Well don't!" J.J snapped again and stormed off.

"Who rattled her cage?" Mimi said looking at the other two who shrugged.

The night before their big performance. J.J couldn't sleep. Something was really bothering her. Like what she'd said about Adrian striking at the concert, was really going to happen. 

__

It won't happen! Get a-hold of yourself Jade! He isn't going to do anything to you! He's probably playing a mind game! He always did that! He's trying physic you out! Now stop worrying and get some sleep, or you'll probably fall asleep while singing tomorrow! J.J told herself firmly. She looked at the clock on her bedside table, the green light showed the numbers 00:17. J.J sighed and slammed her head in her pillow. Without realising it, she slowly dropped off to sleep.

"Matt!" J.J yelled sitting bolt upright in her bed. She looked round her and realised she was in her room. She looked at the clock, 02:19, she'd been asleep for two hours...and had one of the worst nightmare's she'd ever had in her life. She looked round at where Matt should've been sleeping, he was still asleep, a least one of them could sleep easily. J.J sighed and rubbed her hand on her forehead in exasperation. Matt mumbled something in his sleep, and J.J saw his eyes open. 

"Jay...what are you doing up? It's the middle of the night." Matt said sleepily.

"I just had a nightmare, that's all, it's probably just nervousness about tonight." J.J replied, smiling weakly.

"You've never been a very convincing liar, tell me what's really wrong. It was about Adrian wasn't it." Matt stated sitting next to her on her bed. J.J nodded, and ran a hand through her hair. "I thought so. What happened?"

"Well...it started at the concert tonight...everything was going fine...when suddenly the power went out and it all went black. When the lights came on, someone from our group and gone and a note had been left for me. I couldn't really see what it said cause it was all blurry....but it had something to do with who'd disappeared. You and I got into this argument about something and one of us left in a bad temper. Skipping everything else that happened, it ended with you, disappearing right in front of me, and me being powerless to do anything about it." J.J explained. "Oh...Matt I'm so scared. Something bad it going to happen tonight, I can just feel it."

"Don't you worry Jay...like I said, you'll be safe with me around." Matt said.

"Matt! What if your not around! What if this dream is a warning?! I'm having doubts about doing this concert tonight! Adrian is going to do something, I know it!" J.J said standing up.

"Jay." Matt said.

"We've gotta get more...y'know...guards and everything....they've gotta look out for him." J.J ignored him.

"Jay." Matt said again.

"I mean...we have to be a step ahead of him all the time, but we have no idea what he's going to do!" J.J said, ignoring him again.

"Jade." Matt said firmly. That caught J.J's attention, she turned round and gave him the evil eye. She hated it when he called her Jade. "Calm down! We'll sort it all out! Don't worry. He's not gonna do anything while there are hundreds of people watching us, hundreds of witnesses. Adrian's cleverer than that!" He told her, keeping a strong hard gaze with her.

"Yeah, but, but..." J.J's voice trailed off.

"But nothing! Believe me, nothing is going to happen...you've got my word on it." Matt told her, holding her arms.

"I...I...I don't know if I can do this any more Matt, it's becoming to hard for me!" J.J said collapsing on her bed.

Matt looked at her, it all clicked, she wasn't telling him something about Adrian and she didn't want to tell him either, but she was going to.

"Jay, what's wrong?" Matt asked sitting next to her.

"You've got to promise you won't tell anyone about this, not even my mom or Luke!" J.J said looking up at him.

"I promise, now come on, tell me what's wrong." Matt said.

"Adrian...he's after me...for one reason only...and that's...because...my dreams usually come true. See, Adrian was a really big business man, I say was because it was one of my dreams which showed his downfall." J.J started, she kept looking and Matt, some how him being there was helping her through this, this was something she'd never told anyone apart from her family. 

"Keep going." Matt pushed her on.

"He worked in the stock market, and he lost all of his profits on a stupid deal he made with this guy who ran out of the deal at the first sight of losing out. When he lost all his money, Adrian blamed me for the loss, telling me I should've told him the deal was bound to fail, the thing was, I did." J.J laughed lightly. "After that, he started blaming me for everything that ever went wrong at home or anywhere for that matter. If Miller got a bad report, guess who got the blame." J.J pointed to herself. "This went on for about two years, he used to be really nice to me when it was in front of my mom and family, but when it was just me and him, he used to beat me up. And the thing that happened that night...wasn't the worst thing he's ever done to me. He once put me in a coma cause he beat me up so bad, but all of the family decided never to talk about it. Luke always wanted him taken away, but mom said he'd never do something like that again." J.J explained, Matt wasn't looking away from her, he could tell by the expression on her face she wasn't lying. "When Luke called the police that time, it felt like a God send, but the only gave him a stupid court charge and a fine. Yeah, like that would help. I always wear a brave face on the outside, but I'm always screaming for help on the inside, I've just never had the guts to tell any body." J.J finished. She looked at the floor, and ignored the hair that fell into her face.

"Jade...why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Matt asked, brushing her hair out of her face.

"I was scared. I didn't know if I could trust you...it had been so long since I'd trusted someone out of my family." J.J replied. She felt Matt's hand on her back, she put her head in Matt's chest and started crying again. It seemed all she did now was cry. She felt Matt arms go around her, and then she heard his voice.

"Jade...you can trust me...I'm never gonna leave you...I know I've said this before...but it's true, Adrian isn't going lay a finger on you while I'm around." Matt whispered stroking her hair. 

J.J stopped crying a little while later, mainly because she was so tired, Matt said he'd stay awake until she was asleep. She put her head on her pillow and let her right arm dangle off her bed. Matt held her hand, so she knew he was there. Although she didn't show it, she was smiling, not just because she'd told someone about her past, but because Matt was there. There was something he did to her when he was around, it was a feeling of security, and a feeling she'd never felt before. She shut her eyes and sighed.

A while later she was still trying to get to sleep, she opened her eyes briefly, the clock said 04:52. She must've been talking for sometime with Matt. Speaking of Matt, where was he? He'd gone, he wasn't in her room, and the door was open. Footsteps started coming towards the room and she shut her eyes. She heard someone kneeling down next to the bed, and a hand landing on her face.

"Are you asleep?" Matt asked quietly. J.J didn't do anything, just kept breathing lightly. "I guess so....I really wish you didn't have to go through this Jay, I wish I knew what you were going through, but I'm always going to be here...you'll always have me to turn to, even if you do only see me as a friend, I'll always be here for you." He said running his hand over her face. His hand left her face and he lay down in his bed, holding onto her hand.

****

Chapter Seven

Lights Out

The rest of that day passed unbelievably slowly, the concert was that night and it just happened to be on the day that J.J and Matt had biology, maths, chemistry and double history, as well as art. At the last lesson, Matt and J.J had to leave early. Thank God! Mr. Hind was droning on and on about the Gulf War, J.J was just about to drop off to sleep when Matt had chucked a rubber at her. They left and went to get ready in the hall. Mimi, Kari, Sora, Lee, Ben and Joe were all getting changed and getting the lighting ready. Mimi and Kari were arguing about who's choker was who's when Matt and J.J walked in. 

"Cut it out you two! We've got a concert to get on with, and it isn't going to work if you two aren't getting along. So come on children, lets play nice and get changed." J.J said walking in between them.

"Besides, it doesn't matter who's choker is who's they all look the same anyway." Matt said following J.J.

Ten minutes later, Matt knocked on J.J's changing room, ready in his out-fit. It was pretty nice, all black, with a blue metallic lightning bolt on the front of the shirt.

"J.J, can I come in?" Matt asked.

"Only if you're single." J.J called. "Sure, you can come in." Matt opened the door and walked in, expecting to see J.J standing there looking pretty brave, and tom-boyish as usual. But he saw her looking pretty different. There was a bit in their performance, where they all went down into the crowd and picked someone to dance with. In this bit it was a mix of really waltz music to start off with and then in got into more dance music. Anyway, in this bit they girls had to wear trousers under dresses which they took off as the dance music began. Mimi's was pink, Sora's was sky blue, Kari's was cream or off white, and J.J's was silver. Matt had never seen her wearing it, but now he was standing opposite her and he'd never seen anything that looked nicer. It was low-cut, and dragged on the floor, it was really low at the back as well.

Matt's mouth was dropping wider by the minute. J.J smiled softly and shut his mouth with her hand.

"What d'you think? I feel like such a girl!" J.J said sitting down.

"Y...you look...beautiful." Matt smiled hardly able to control himself.

"Thanks. What you got there?" She asked noticing a small box in Matt's hand.

"This? Oh, it's a present. Y'know, for good luck." Matt said giving it to her. 

J.J opened the box and took out a silver chain with a pendant on in. The pendant was silver. J.J looked at it and saw the inscription she read it out loud.

"Carpae Deum. Seize the day." She said. She looked up at Matt and smiled. "Thanks Matt. It's really sweet. I'll wear it all the time." 

"I don't really know why I got it...I saw it and since you've been taking everything so good, I thought you'd like it." Matt explained.

"Don't worry. I wish I had something to give you." J.J said putting her hands on her lucky charm. She gasped and took it off, she looked at Matt and got up. "Here, it's my lucky charm, just to remind you of me, if we ever get separated or something." J.J said putting it round Matt's neck.

"Thanks Jay. Come on, we've gotta get the lighting ready in about ten minutes, so get changed to what you wear first. I'll see ya in a couple of minutes." Matt said leaving.

Two hours later the show was just about to start, the whole hall was full, and tension was running high backstage. J.J and Matt were the only one's not jumping up and down or complaining of a stomach ache.

"You guys, two minutes." The stage manager whispered. The whole group got together and put their hands on top of each others in a circle.  
"You guys, just go out there and do your best." J.J said.

"In other words, we are gonna knock them dead." Matt finished. They all cheered and got into their possions.

The start of the show began with Mimi and J.J standing on stage, and everyone else came on gradually. The music to a song the girls composed called, 'I Know, You Know,' started up and the main curtain went up. There were a load of screams from the audience and a few wolf-whistles, J.J smiled and laughed to herself.

"Hey, Mimi, do you know why there are a load of people watching us?" J.J asked, following the script Sora had written.

"I think I do but...we better ask our friends...ready?" Mimi replied. "Music is our life, it happens all the time, we're all best friends in front of you, so just enjoy the show. We are Mimi!" 

"Lee!"

"J.J!"

"Matt!"

"Sora!"

"Joe!"

"Kari!"

"And Ben!" 

"So sit back, and let us take you to our world!" The all yelled. There were screams, shouts of 'I love you Ben!', screams of 'I love you Matt, and a few yells of 'J.J you are gorgeous!', able to be heard. 

The show started off perfectly. Not a foot was set wrong, no bad notes or anything. The trouble started when Matt and J.J had to sing a song which Mimi had written. It was a ballad and had to be sung as a duet. Everyone else were backing singers, and it was all going perfectly, until the power cut out.

"In a perfect world,

One we've never known, we would never need to face the world alone.

They can have the world, we'll create our own,

I may not be brave, or strong or smart, but some where in my secret heart,

I know, love will find away..." J.J sang her part better than she ever had before, when suddenly the lights went out and the whole audience screamed. "OK, who turned out the lights?! Literally!" J.J yelled into her microphone which was still working.

"Everyone keep calm, the technically people are experiencing difficulties, so sit tight the power should be back on it a few minutes." Matt said through the darkness. There was a high-pitched scream, more like a squeal from the stage which made the hairs on the back of J.J's neck stand on end. 

" TAI! J.J! MATT! HELP!" A voice yelled. 

"KARI!" J.J heard Tai yell from the crowd. The lights suddenly came on and Kari wasn't on stage, instead, in her place was a note. Tai jumped on stage over, and ran over to the note. 

"J.J, it's for you." Tai said handing it to her. J.J took it and opened it.

'I liked your performance. Have fun while it lasts. You wanna see your little friend again, then you better come to the docks tomorrow night at midnight.' The note said. J.J gasped and fainted.

"J.J....J.J come on, wake up." Was what J.J heard as she came to. 

"Look, she's waking up." Another voice.

"J.J, are you OK?" A female voice asked.

"Hm? Ah...where...where am I? What's going on?" J.J said as she opened her eyes.

"Hey sis. You fainted up on stage, you're in the infirmary. Do you remember what happened?" Luke said helping her to sit up.

"I remember the lights going off, and someone screaming, the lights coming back on...then a note...after that, I don't remember anything." J.J said slowly.

"Come on, lets take you home. I think you've had enough excitement for one day!" Matt said picking her up. She put her arms around his neck and shut her eyes.

"Matt?"

"Yeah?"

"Wh-who was taken?" J.J asked.

"Kari." Matt answered.

"...Kari..." J.J said to herself trying to think why Adrian would've taken Kari.

When they got home Luke was insistent that J.J went to bed, as soon as she got in. She did as she was told, but couldn't sleep.

__

Why did he take Kari? She had nothing to do with him!...But she does have something to do with me, and Matt. Lets see....she's in my band and is one of my best friends, and she's Matt's best friend's little sister...crap! Where the hell is that note! J.J thought sitting up.

"J.J go back to sleep." Matt murmured as she tried to wake him up.

"Matt! Wake up!" J.J said shoving him again.

"OK, what's wrong?" Matt asked opening his eyes.

"That note, from earlier, where is it?" J.J asked.

"Huh? Oh, the note, it's here." Matt answered getting it out of his jacket and passing it to her. J.J took it and put it with the others on her bedside. "I hope your not thinking about going tomorrow night." Matt said placing his hands either side of her neck.

"I have to, or we're not gonna see Kari again." J.J replied.

"Jay...you can't go...it's to dangerous." Matt said.

"Matt, I have to! It's because of me this whole thing started! If I don't do something...who will?" J.J sighed looking at him, her eyes full of sadness.

"Jade...I can't let you go...if something happened to you...I don't know what I'd do!" Matt sighed, putting his arms around her protectively.

"I know I shouldn't, but I've got to, else this is never going to stop! And I refuse to keep running away, you do understand...don't you?" J.J snapped pushing away from him.

"No. I don't understand, and you and I are going to talk about this later this morning, not now! Now go to sleep." Matt snapped back.

"Fine!" J.J snarled going back to sleep.

****

Chapter Eight

Tears

Later that afternoon, J.J was in the mall with Mimi, Sora and Emily. The police had started a search for Kari and had questioned everyone who had been on stage at that time about if they'd seen anything when the lights had gone out. No-one had, and still no-one except Matt and J.J knew that Adrian had taken her. 

"Jay, what do you think of this hat?" Mimi asked. But J.J hardly heard her. Her mind was going round and round, summing up the pros and cons of going to the docks to see Adrian that night.

__

Pros; I get Kari back...nothing else. Cons; I could get killed, I'm scaring my self shitless...there are way to many reasons not to go. But if I don't go...I'm never going to stop running, and if I don't stop running, I'm never going to stop looking over my shoulder when I hear a noise and....oh, I wonder if they have that in my size! J.J thought spotting a sky blue dress in 'Marly's.'

"Jay, look who's coming." Sora said pointing to the opposite side of the mall. "It's Matt."

"Oh no! I don't wanna see him!" J.J said heading into 'Marly's'.

"No you don't! You go see him, and you go see him now!" Emily said grabbing the arm of J.J's jacket.

"Hi you guys. Can I talk to Jay?" Matt asked walking over.

"Sure." Mimi said walking away with Sora and Emily.

J.J and Matt were just standing in the middle of the mall looking at each other, with nothing to say.

"Are you going to say anything to me?" Matt asked.

"No!" J.J snapped folding her arms.

"Jay, I refuse to talk about this here, look, lets just go to 'Bamba' and talk about this over coffee, OK. My treat." Matt offered.

"Fine. But I don't see anything to talk about!" J.J said walking off toward Bamba.

When they got there, J.J headed up stairs and slumped down on one of the three leather couches. Matt came up a few minutes later with two huge mugs of coffee. He put them down on the table and sat next to J.J.

"Listen, Jay. I'm sorry for being nasty to you this morning. But I said that because I care. OK. I don't want you go in to some place very near water, by yourself, where a maniac is going to be waiting for you!" Matt said.

"Matt, what I do is what I do. Me going is going to be the only way to get Kari back. I don't want to go...but I have to." J.J explained staring at the floor.

"Jay...I know it's your choice, just make sure it's the right one." Matt said lifting her head to his level with his hand.

"I...I don't know what the right decision is any more Matt. I've made such a mess of things, I don't know what to do. I feel so alone, like no-one else is going through this." J.J said, pulling back.

"But you aren't alone in this. You've got Luke, your mom, Miller and you've got me. We're a team. We're both going to get through this." Matt said putting one of his hands on J.J's.

"...Let's make a promise." J.J said. "We'll both get through this, no regrets. Promise?"

"I promise." Matt smiled and rubbed J.J's head. "But we are both going to the dock tonight!" 

"OK." J.J answered, taking a gulp of her coffee.

After their stop in 'Bamba' Matt and J.J went straight home, they took the long way by the docks, making sure they knew where everything led them. When they got home, it was eight in the evening. Mrs. Hush was out with her work friends for night off, Miller was at a friends and Luke was staying at collage until the next week. So they had the whole house to themselves. J.J was trying not to let it show she was really scared, but Matt had always told her she wasn't a very convincing liar and at this time, it really showed. At eleven thirty, they set off for the docks, it was a twenty minute walk, Matt said that when Adrian appeared with Kari, he would tell her to call the police while Matt and J.J kept him busy. When they got there it was five minutes to midnight, J.J was more nervous than she'd ever been in her life, Matt was hiding behind some barrels to wait for Kari. J.J's digital watch bleeped, midnight.

"Show time." She said to herself, as Adrian appeared dragging Kari by the shoulder. But there was something strange about Adrian. "I could've sworn he was a lot shorter, and fatter." J.J said to herself again. He stopped ten feet in front of her, and the dock lights came on, then it made sense to J.J. It wasn't Adrian at all. 

"Luke!" J.J said in surprise.

"Surprise sis. I bet you never expected it to be me, did you?" Luke sneered. "Here's your little friend, I didn't do nothing to her." Luke said pushing a whimpering Kari towards her.

"Kari!" J.J said catching her. "Go over to the barrels, Matt is over there, he'll tell you what to do." J.J whispered directing her. She turned back to Luke, trying to hide the hurt she was feeling. "Why?"

"Oh, that's simple really. I'll tell you." Luke said as he started pacing back and forth in front of her.

"Typical evil genius, loves to hear the sound of his own voice." J.J said, suddenly gaining courage.

"What?!" Luke snapped turning to her, his icy eyes cold and hard.

"You're right. That's giving you way to much credit!" J.J smirked.

"Silence!" Luke yelled hitting her hard round the face. J.J put her hand up to where he'd hit her and felt blood dripping from her lip. "It all started when I found out Adrian had beaten you up. Me and your little friend Matt came and got you to hospital. But who did you want to see before your own flesh and blood? Matt! From then on, when ever I heard his name it made my blood run cold!" Luke began to explain. "It seemed the only girl I really loved was in love with someone else."

"Loved? Luke I'm your sister." J.J said.

"Hah! That's a joke isn't it! I was adopted when you were born, Adrian and Lisa said it'd be better if you had a good male role model to look up to. I saw you growing into a fine young woman, and decided when you turned sixteen, that I would do everything in my power to make you mine, even if it meant killing people to get to you." Luke told her.

"So you thought you'd threaten your way to my heart? Well I've gotta admit it, you've certainly got some of the most original and crap ideas to get a girl to like you Luke!" J.J yelled.

"Oh the notes were to scare you, did they work?" Luke asked.

"Like Hell they did, you stupid little back-stabber!" J.J yelled again.

"I had to make it look like I was on your side, I was trying to scare you and then I'd make up some story, and say it was Matt writing the notes. But my plan we a..."

"A bit off track?" J.J interrupted.

"Do you mind letting me finish?!" Luke yelled. "It went off track at the concert yesterday. I thought I'd put something to send you to sleep in your coffee before you went on, but it happened to go into the stage directors coffee, so I had to come up with a new plan and quick." Luke said, turning his back on her and taking something out of his pocket. "I'd been watching your rehearsals that day and remembered where that little brat would be standing. I also knew, if one of your best friends was abducted, then you would be worried and come after her....which you did. Your so predicable Jade." Luke said turning to face her.

"What do we do now?" J.J asked. "I'll have to had you in to the police." 

"Ah...see little sis, that's where you're wrong." Luke said holding a gun up and pointing it at J.J.

"I don't think so!" Matt yelled, as he rugby tackled Luke to the floor. "J.J RUN!" He yelled.

"What about you?!" J.J yelled back.

"I'll be fine, just go!" Matt yelled. J.J did as she was told and ran off toward a dock house.

When she got to the main dock house, she ran up two flights of stairs, and hid behind a pile of lobster traps, fishing nets and barrels. It felt like a life time, before she heard another human voice, unfortunately, it wasn't the one she wanted to hear.

"Jade? Where are you? You know I'll find you, I always do! While I'm searching for you I'll tell you something shall I?" Luke yelled. J.J tried to breathe even more quietly than she was already. "What did I do with Adrian? Do you want to know that?" Luke yelled kicking a barrel over. "After he moved to California, guess what I did, I went after him, and how can I put this, put a hole through his head! I bet you didn't think your big brother would be able to do something like that, did you?!" Luke yelled going up to the first lot of stairs in two huge paces. "And what did I do with your Prince Charming, Matt? He came to the same fate I'm not sorry to say!" Luke yelled holding up J.J's lucky charm.

"No!" J.J whispered, grabbing on to the pendant Matt had given her. "Please, no!" She whispered again trying to hold back tears. Suddenly a surge of emotion washed over her and she gained another load of courage. "You bastard!" She yelled standing up. "Matt had never done anything to you! He was the most reliable, most trust worthy person I'd ever known! He's always been there for me! And I was in love with him!" J.J yelled, then gasped at what she'd said. "I...I was in love with him...and you...you killed him! How...how could you! Luke I hate you! I wish you'd never been born! I wish I'd never met Matt! None of this would've happened, if I hadn't gotten him involved!" 

"I had no idea he meant so much to you." Luke said trying not to show the emotion in his voice. He walked towards J.J and grabbed on to her arm. J.J could see he was crying. "But what about me J.J? Huh? What about your brother? Did you ever feel anything for him?" Luke yelled, tightening his grip.

"Of course I did! You're my brother!" J.J screamed. "If you ever wanted to tell me something, even if it was that you were adopted, you just should've! You had no right to end peoples lives!"

"I know, and I'm sorry, but they were getting in the way of us!" Luke said falling to his knees.

"Luke, there is no us!" J.J said grabbing her arm back. "There never was, and there never will be, not anymore!" She said running passed him.

"No Jade! You're not getting away this time!" She heard Luke yell as she ran out the door.

J.J ran toward the main part of the dock, where it met water, it was in the open, but she had an idea. She'd always been good at gymnastics, and what better time to use her skills than now. But she'd have to be quick, Luke would probably run at her-to push her in the water-as he did she'd have to drop to her back and somersault him into the water by kicking her legs into his stomach. The dock lights were brighter out here than anywhere else, so it would be easy to see him. _This is for you Matt. _J.J thought, standing in the middle of the dock.

"Come on then Luke! You want me, come and get me! I'm not afraid of you!" She yelled.

"Really?!" Luke yelled back. He was walking slowly towards her.

"Yeah!" J.J yelled back. "Come on, charge! I'm not scared of you any more!" 

"Fine! I hope mom got you a tomb stone for Christmas this year!" Luke yelled running towards her.

__

That's it, that's it. Just a little further! J.J thought measuring up the distance. _Thirty feet, twenty feet, ten feet, five. NOW! _She thought dropping to her back and kicking her legs up into Luke's stomach.

"Whoa!" Luke yelled as he hit the water, but something went wrong, he had grabbed on to one of J.J's legs and pulled her in too.

J.J submerged about minute after she'd gone in the water. She looked round for Luke, he was no where to be seen. She started swimming towards the edge, but someone pulled her back under the water. She submerged again and was face to face with Luke. He was smiling slyly, and his eyes had a strange look about them.

"I was going to shoot you, give you a quick death, but if you want to be drowned, I can do that too!" He said, pushing J.J underwater. She scrabbled for the surface, trying to grab on to something. Her arms and legs were flailing, and her clothes were getting heavier, not helping her situation. She was loosing air, she was going to die, her life started drift in front of her eyes, when suddenly, Luke lost his grip on her allowing her to come up for air. 

When she came up, she looked round and saw Luke having the hell beaten out of him by someone. She couldn't see who, and noted she'd have to thank whoever it was.

"Jay! Over here! Come on, get out!" She heard someone yell.

"Kari!" J.J yelled swimming over to the side and climbing out.

"Oh my God! Are you OK?" Kari asked, hugging her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But Matt isn't." J.J answered sniffing.

"Yes he is! He in the water fighting Luke!" Kari smiled pointing at the two of them.

"Matt!" J.J sighed. Both Matt and Luke went underwater as Luke deliverd a right-hook to Matt's jaw. J.J and Kari watched the water with anticipation. It felt like hours drifted by while the two of them were underwater, until Matt emerged, dragging Luke by the collar through the water.

Matt and J.J tied Luke up to a pole, until the police arrived, Kari was looking out for them. J.J didn't know what to say, neither did Matt, for once they were both speechless.

"Are you OK? Luke said..." J.J trailed off.

"I'm fine. What about you? He didn't hurt you?" Matt asked.

"No, I'm fine." J.J said. "Matt...I'm sorry I dragged you into this...I thought I'd lost you when you went underwater." 

"Hey, it's OK. It was an adventure, for both of us. I thought I'd almost lost you too, when Luke pulled you into the water." Matt said putting a hand on her hair.

"Oh, Matt, Luke managed to get this off you some how." J.J said passing him her lucky charm. 

"Oh yeah. I thought I'd lost it. Thanks Jay." Matt said taking it and putting it round his neck.

"It's OK. I'm just glad your safe." J.J smiled hugging him.

"Same here." Matt replied. "Jay, I'd be lost without you." He whispered stroking her hair.

"Just promise we'll be together, always." J.J said.

"I promise." Matt said quietly. 

"Touching. Time to say 'bye bye' Matt." Luke's voice rang out. Matt and J.J looked behind them and saw Luke.

"How'd you..." Matt never finished that sentence because Luke smacked him in the head with a brick and knocked him in the water, he dived in after him to finished Matt off.

"MATT!" J.J screamed looking in the water where he'd gone in. "MATT!" She screamed again. 

"J.J! The police are here! Where's Luke and Matt?!" Kari said running up to her.

"Matt...Matt..." J.J said, beginning to cry.

"She's obviously in shock. Let's get you two into the warmth." One policeman said putting a blanket around each of them.

"The killer must've killed himself when he saw us coming...look." A second said pointing to blood stained water.

"Hmm." A third nodded in agreement and started getting back into the van.

A few days later, after J.J and Kari had been questioned about Luke, J.J was in her room looking at the pendant Matt had give her. 

"Jay, posts here!" Her mom called putting a letter under her bedroom door. J.J got up to get it and saw there was something in the envelope. She opened it and took out a necklace. Not just any necklace, it was her lucky charm. She sat down on her bed, and stared at it was a while. She put her head down on her pillow and started crying.

****

Chapter Nine

Together, Forever

(Some time later)

About six months after Matt disappeared into the depths. Mimi, Sora, Kari, Ben, Lee and Joe had organised a night out for J.J's seventeenth birthday. Matt would've been seventeen four months ago, on the twelveth. J.J was trying to cope with out him, but was finding it unbelievably hard. She really believed she was in love with him, now she wore two necklace's all the time. Her silver pendant and her lucky charm, both reminded her of Matt.

"Oh, J.J, cheer up. It's your birthday." Her mom said that morning.

"Sorry, but I find it kind of hard." J.J replied, not looking up from her over cooked scrambled eggs.

"Well at least try to smile, at least once." Her mom said encouragingly.

"OK." J.J said forcing a smile.

"That's my girl." Her mom said affectionately, leaving the kitchen.

__

Oh Matt...where are you? J.J thought looking out the window over at a flock of doves.

"So where are we taking her? You she won't want to go to the cinema, or anywhere else for that matter that'll remind her of Matt...so, any ideas you guys?" Mimi asked the others who were sitting round the huge dining table in her house.

"I don't have any, sorry." Sora said.

"Me either." Ben and Lee said.

"Sorry Mimi." Joe said guiltily.

"Kari?" Mimi asked in exasperation.

"How about...the theatre? You know how much she loves it, and there's a new play out, which got a fantastic write up! Just listen." Kari said finding it in the paper. "'Together Forever' by George Cameroon. A classic tale of love being blocked by family differences and classes. A bit of a take off from Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', with one exception, it is set in a very different era and in a totally different dimension. The lovers, Princess Harmony of royal rank and Albert a lowly thief fall in love and must escape the Princess's evil father, King Henry's idea to marry the Princess off to the vain and self-centred Prince Gorman. A romantic and sad story, a must see whilst it is on.'" Kari said reading out the review.

"Great idea Kari! All those in favour of going to the theatre, say I!" Mimi said standing up.

"I!" Everyone except Joe said. Mimi whacked Joe on the head.

"I-I!" Joe said in surprise.

"Great! I'll call her and tell her to be ready at...seven thirty." Mimi said running over to her phone.

"I'll see you later Mimi. Tai wants me home like now." Kari said leaving. When she got home, she picked up the phone and dialled a familiar number.

"Hello?" The voice on the other end said.

"Hi, it's Kari! Listen, we're going to see 'Together Forever' and the 'Backdrop Theatre' on Southern 6th Street, so you do your thing and do what ever you can to be on the stage! OK, leave the rest to me! I'll see you later!" Kari said and hung up.

"Who was that?" Tai asked peering out of his room.

"No-one!" Kari said in defence and walked into her room.

"A Naytree CD! Thanks Miller! How did you know I wanted this?" J.J said unwrapping the CD box. "I put it on later." She smiled, putting it on the pile of presents she had on the couch. The phone rang and Lisa went to get it.

"Jade, it's for you." She said looking into the main room. "It's Mimi." She said handing her the phone.

"Hello?" J.J said down the phone.

"Happy Birthday to you!" Mimi and Sora sang down the phone.

"Thanks you two. What's up?" J.J laughed.

"Well, we decided, as you only turn seventeen once, that we would take you out, we're going to take you somewhere, we'll know you'll like." Mimi said.

"Right...are you sure I'm gonna like it?" J.J asked.

"Positive! Just be ready at seven thirty, and wear something nice, OK. See ya later." Sora said and hung up.

"Bye." J.J said replacing the receiver. She went back into the main room and sat down on the couch. "My friends get weirder every day!" She laughed and started taking everything into her room.

At seven twenty, J.J was just putting on her two necklaces. She put the charm on first, and then the pendant. She re-brushed her pony-tail and looked at herself in the full length mirror on the inside door of her closet for the last time. 

"What does this dress remind me of..." J.J said to herself, running her hands down the silver material. She gasped and thought back, to the night Kari had been abducted. Matt's face when he'd seen her wearing that dress, much like the one she had on now. She smiled as the memory flashed into her head, and clung onto both necklace's. "I miss you Matt...but you're always in my heart." She said quietly and went outside to the main room. The door bell room and Miller answered the door.

"Jay! Mimi's here!" Miller called down the hall.

"Coming!" J.J called back and walked down the hall. "Hi Mimi." She said when she saw her.

"Wow! You look so pretty! Hey, why the long face! It's your birthday!" Mimi said. "Come on, this will cheer you up for sure!" Mimi said leading her out.

They got to the theatre at ten to eight. Ten minutes before the play began. Ben checked in their tickets and they found their seats. They had their own private box, because Mimi's dad had pulled some strings. The box was right in front of the stage, so they had the best view. The red curtain went up soon enough and King Henry came on stage. He bowed and shushed the audience.

"Ladies and gentleman, honoured guests, welcome. Our story begins long ago, our heroine, Princess Harmony, is set to be wed to Prince Gorman. The Princess and her lover, Albert, are meeting in secret to admit their love. Ladies and gentleman, I give you, 'Together Forever.'" King Henry said bowing and walking off stage. 

The first half of the play was amazing. It started out with Harmony and Albert meeting, and decided to run away together, to elope and start a new life. Little did they know, one of King Henry's spy's and one of Albert's companions had been listening and had kidnapped the Princess, that was where the first half of the play ended. While everyone else went to get snacks, J.J and Kari stayed behind to guard their seats and to have a bit of a chat.

"Are you having a good birthday?" Kari asked.

"Yeah. It's been really great, but it's still not complete. There's something missing." J.J replied staring at the floor.

"I know, you don't have to tell me. Try and cheer up a bit huh?" Kari smiled.

"Yeah. Oh look, the second half is starting." J.J said looking at the stage.

The second half started off in the King's chambers, the King's spy was telling Henry all of what he heard the Princess and Albert planning, the King contacted Prince Gorman and told him to gather his most powerful soldiers and bring them to the air-ship dock at sun-rise the next morning. The scene changed to the next morning and the air-ship dock, it was coming up to sun-rise and they stage manager had made it look like there were two moons. A man appeared on the stage, wearing a brown cloak, and walked across a few times not saying anything.

"Where is she. Where is my beloved. Could it be, she has married the Prince Gorman, nay, for the wedding was not until tomorrow. But lo, the King doth know of our love and maybe our plans to escape this God forsaken place. But, nay again, for no-one was around when we conspired our souls and plans to leave. If she is not here by the falling of the second moon, then I will believe she has forgotten our plans and then our love and I." The cloaked man said. He turned his back on the audience and looked at the two moons. "I must make a wish. I wish, on the two moons and two suns of our fair land..." He started. "...To bring my beloved Jade to me!" The cloaked man took off his cloak and showed himself to the audience. Jade and the rest of her friends gasped. 

At first J.J didn't believe it, but when she looked at the man closer, she realised it was Matt. She got out of her seat and ran towards the doors, she shoved them open and ran down the four flights of stairs as quick as she could, without ripping the dress. She ran down on the ground floor through the crowds of people, pushing past anyone who got in her way, ignoring anything they said to her. She found the steps that led up to the stage and ran up, on to the stage and literally flung herself at Matt. He caught her waist and stopped her from falling over. They hugged each other, then something sprang into J.J's head.

"You stupid, stupid idiot! You...you...oh, I hate you!" J.J said pounding her fist on Matt's chest.

"Hey! You call that a punch, come here." Matt chuckled giving her a cuddle.

"Oh, this belongs to you." J.J said taking her lucky charm off her neck and putting it on Matt's.

"Thanks. Jade, I never stopped thinking about you." Matt whispered.

"Me either. I love you Matt." J.J replied quietly.

"I love you Jade. And this time, I promise, I'll never leave you again." Matt said kissing her. The whole theatre filled with applause. J.J looked up at the box and saw Sora, Mimi and Kari balling their eyes out and Ben, Joe and Lee whooping, and giving them thumbs up.

"Hey Matt, do you think they'll have to re-write 'Together Forever'?" J.J asked.

"No, cause that's what we'll be, together forever." Matt replied, kissing her again. 

****

THE END


End file.
